Traveling apparatus for cleaning sewer-basins



v G. w. O-TTERSON, TRAVELING APPARATUS FOR CLEANINGSEWER BASINS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I7, 1918.

mm Jime' 15, 1920.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET IN|/I :'/VTOR Wmm ATTORNEY '-G. W. OTT'ERSON. TRAVELING APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SEWER BASINS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. I9?- Patented June 15, 1920.

s mN 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IiWEII/TOR A TTOR/VE a. w. .OTTERSON.

TRAVELING APPARATUS ron CLEANING SEWER BAsms;

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I7. 1918- Patented June 15,1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

one

A TTOR/VEV GEORGE w. OTTERSON, or SEATTLE, wAsHIneTon.

TRAVELING AIIEII?.ARATU'S FOR CLEANING SEWEB-BASINS.

Application filed June 17,

v To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. OTTERSON,

a citizen of the United States, and resident *of Seattle, in

the county of King and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Traveling Apparatus for Cleaning Sewer-Basins, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises improvements in vehicular apparatus, for cleaning out city catch-basins or other basins or sumps by means of a hydraulic ejector elevator. One of the objects is to provide a form of mechanical mounting forthe ejector enabling the same to be readily lowered into and raised from catch-basins of any depth, whether located in or at difi'erent distances from the roadway, and whereby, further, the elevator when raised is disposed in a convenient and non-obstructing position on the vehicle. One of the parts of the complete apparatus is .a settling bed tank body, which can be tilted to discharge its contents and which'has a water outlet connection to the pump, which operates the ejector, and an overflow for returning excess water to the sewer; and a ffurtherobject of the invention is to provide a simple and improved construction of the outlet connections, particularly of the pump connection, which permits the dumping to be effected without uncoupling. Other objects and-features, constituting improvements'upon and within my Reissue Patent No. 14,234 of December 19, 1916, and Patent No. 1,295,056 of February 18, 1919, will become apparent'as the speci-" fication proceeds.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation -of the apparatus in use, the hydraulicejector elevator being lowered into a catch-basin which is shown in vertical section, both the catchbasin and the elevator having intermediate parts broken away for economy of space;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, showing the'arm carrying the elevator proj ectedfrom the side of the-vehicle;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation showing the tail ate' I a Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional'detailview of the separable intake connection from the settling bed tank to thepump;

Fig. 5 is a view showing the settling bed tank in-vertical longitudinal section and ad- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11110 15, 1920.

1918. 7 Serial No. 240,441.

*jacent parts in elevation, dotted lines being used to lndicate the tank in dumping con dition;

Fig. 6 1s a vertical transverse section the elevator drawn in close to the vehicle;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing the hydraulic ejector elevator raised; and

Flg. 8 is a vertical section through the e ector.

The apparatus comprises a motor truck 1 having a tank body 2. The rear portion of the tank body is pivoted at 3 to the frame of the vehicle, so that it may be tiltedendwise by a hoisting mechanism 4 to discharge its contents at the rear end. The tank is preferably of rectangular or box-like form, and is provided interiorly with suitable baflies or partitions constituting it a settling bed having a clear water space from which the ejector, presently to be described, derives its supply. In the particular construction illustrated the interior of the tank is divided by a longitudinal partition 5 adjacent one of the side walls into a main or settling chamber 6 and a narrow clear water compartment or gutter 7. The partition 5 extends from the front wall of the tank rearwardly to within a short distance of the tail-gate 8 and is imperforate, so that the clear water compartment communicates with the settling chamber at its rear end and is elsewhere separate therefrom. 1

The main or settling chamber 6 is divided by a series of transverse vertical bafiies 9 into'a plurality of settling compartments, which are connected in a manner to cause the water to proceed in a circuitous course from the forward compartment to the rear most one, which'is in communication with the clear water trough. To this end the through the rear part of the tank, showing bafiles preferably have rectangular -openings 10 of substantial area cut in their upper at opposite sides as ranged alternately shown. The rearmost baflie 9, however, in-

stead of being'formed with one of these swing" relatively to the tank body when the latter is tilted, order that the deposited halves near one end, the openings being arupward and to a point forward of thetail gate,

terposed between solids may slide out from beneath them; The tail gate8 is also hinged at the top upon the axis 13 and is normally held tightly closed by clamps 14c.

An additional holding means, operable at is provided for keeping the gate closed when the clamps 14 have been unfastened, thus enabling the attendant to move auay from the rear end before the discharge occurs. In this connection a transverse rock-shaft 15 is mounted in the under part of the rear end of the tank and is connected by a crank arm 16 and a long link 17 with a locking and releasing hand lever 18 located on' the side of the vehicle adjacent the drivers seat 19 and having the usual holding segment 20. Dogs 21 fixed on said rock-shaft normally project upward behind and bear forcibly against the tailgate at the bottom, they are held by the lever and segment 18, 20, which may, however, be operated to move the dogs downward out of the path of the gate, which may then swing rearward.

Toward the forward end of the clear water gutter 7 the tank is provided in its bottom with a water outlet 22, which can be closed at the inner side bya valve 23 having an operating connection 24 extending to a suitable point. of the apparatus water from this outlet passes to the intake of a pump 26 mounted on the frame of the machine, approximately midway of its length and 'toward one side, the outlet of this pump being connected with the pressure line 27 of a hydraulic ejector elevator. Such elevator comprises a pressure side connected with the outlet of the pump, a discharge side for delivering into the settling bed, an interposed ejector with jet nozzle and intake from the basin, and conduit means adapted for lowering and raising into and out of the catch-basins.- In order to permit the tank to be tilted :without having to uncouple and recouple the line leading from the tank to the pump, the outlet 22 is combined with an intake member 28 on the frame of the machine in such manner that these parts separate automatically when the tank is raised and automatically reengage to form a tight joint when the body is restored to its normal position. In the preferred construction a conduit section 29 is secured rigidly to one side of the truck frame by means of a bracket 29*, and

a short vertical tube 30 having a frusto-- conical. head 31 is mounted with a tight sliding joint therein. A stout spring 32 inthe head 31 and the fixed conduit section tends to press the tube 30 permit it to yield downward. The head 31 is guided in afiaring mouth 33 of the outlet 22, and normally bears against a gasket 34, whereby a tight joint is insured. When the tank is tilted, the spring in which position During the operationheight by against disengagement from the fixed con duit section 29 by a suitable stop indicated at 30 and whenthe tank is again lowered the spring permits the tube to yield downward while finding a tight seat upon the tank outlet. The spring also takes up vibration during the running of the vehicle, thus preventing injury and leakage, which would be likely to occur with a rigid connection. The valve 23 when closed permits the tank to be dumped without spilling liquid through the disconnected outlet 22. This valve is also preferably closed when the apparatus is upon its rounds, except when a basin-cleaning operation is in progress, in order to prevent possibility of water leaking through the pump and escaping to the street through the ejector nozzle and intake.'

The fixed conduit section 29 ispreferably connected with thepump intake by a hose section 35, and the upper portion 27 of the pressure line of the elevator is also preferably of the same character. The lower portion 27 of the pressure line may be of rigid piping, and the discharge line 36 of the elevator consists of piping. The pressure and discharge lines of the elevator or the portions thereof composed of piping extend vertically adjacent'each other and are connected at the lower ends by a return bent section 37. The ejector proper is preferably embodied in a removable section 38 interposed between the discharge end of the re-v turn bend 37 and the lower end of the discharge line 36. The said section 38 is formed interiorly with a constricted throat 39 and a nozzle 40, and has a lateral intake 41, which may be provided with a short inlet conduit 42 extending downward to within a short distance of the bottom of the return bend. and held detachably in place by a clamp 44.

In order to permit the ejector to'be lowered into catch-basins and raised therefrom. the discharge line 36 is made of telescopic construction, the lower section 36 being received slidably within the upper section 36, suitable provisions, which need not be illustrated, being made to keep the joint tight. The ejector part' of the-hydraulic elevator is raised and lowered by means of a winch 45 at the side .of the tank and a cable 46 passing over suitable pulleys 47 downward to the lower end-of the elevator. Further vertical range is afforded by mounting the discharge'line section 36 for vertical sliding movement in a guide 48 at one side of the machine, wherein it may be held at the desired clamping means 49. The guide 48 is fixed upon the end of a transverse arm 50 mounted slidably in guides 51 upon the upper forward portion of the tank. In this way the raisable and lowerable hydraulic ejector elevator may be projected outward at different distances or. drawn in close to the side of the vehicle, according to the positions of the catch-basins. Manifestly other forms of laterally movable support for the elevator may be devised. .When the vehicle is in motion the elevator .is-raised above the road level and brought'in near to the'side of the machine, where it is out of the way. The discharge line above the vertical guide 48 terminates in a laterally extended spout 52 having its end turned downward and of suflicient length to enable it to deliver into the forward settling bed compartment in any of the operative positions of the elevator. The arm 50, it will be observed, is cylindrical, so as to be capable of pivoting in the guides 51, so that the elevator when raised and brought into the side of the body can be turned and ranged longitudinally of the vehicle if desired, in

which position it can be held by clamp screws 7 5 operable to tighten and loosen the guide collars 51.

The tank body has a second or overflow outlet 53 in the front wall of the clear water compartment 7, near the top, this outlet being normally closed by a valve 54: having an operating connection 55. A spout 56"projecting outward and downward from the outlet is adapted to enter and leave a fixed vertical member 57 on the frame of the machine when the tank is raised and lowered, respectively. An inclined spout connected by vertical and horizontal swivels 66 and 67 with the lower end of the fixed member 57 enables the overflow to be returned to the catch-basin without soiling the pave-' ment.

A small agitator hose leads from a valved connection 58 on the outlet of the pump and terminates in a suitable nozzle 59, wherewith the attendant can stir up the deposits in the catch-basins. The pump is driven from the engine of the vehicle through suitable connections, including a chain 60 and a clutch, not shown, which is controlled by a lever 61 at the back of the drivers seat.-

In operation the vehicle starts out upon its rounds with a supply of water in the settling bed wherewith to prime the pump at the first catch-basin. Arrived at this point, the vehicle is disposed alongside the sidewalk if the catch-basin manhole is located in the footway, or at a suitable position in the street if the catchsbasin is beneath the roadway. The arm 50 may now be extended outward from the side of the machine to the-appropriate distance to bring the ejector elevator over the manhole. The ejector isejector, which is well understood, is such as to-draw in the contents of the catch-basin, both liquid and solid, and to drive them upward through the discharge line and the spout 52 into the forward settling compartment of the tank. The liquid then. passes rearward in a zigzag manner from oneset -tling compartment to another, dropping its pleted, the pump is stopped, the hydraulic elevator is raised and brought into the side of the vehicle, the valve 23 is closed, and the overflow 54: is opened, thuspermitting the excess of water in the tank to flow backward into the catch-basin. After the apparatus has operated upon a number of catchbasins, depending upon the capacity of its settling bed, the truck is driven to a suitable point of disposal, the endlgate is, released and the tank is tilted to discharge its contents.

The manner in which the intake connection from the tank to the pump is automati cally made and broken when the tank is lowered and raised has already been described. The automatic disconnection in the with the relatively clear'water space of the settling-bed, of an arm movable outboard from the side, of the vehicle, and a hydraulic ejector elevator comprising. pressure and dis-' charge lineswith an ejector at their lower ends, said pressure line having connectlon with the outlet of the pump and the discharge line comprising telescopic piping connected with said movable arm and terminating in a spout capable of discharging-into the tank in the various positions of the arm.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vehicle car:

rying a settling-bed body and a force pump,

the inlet of which latter'has communication with the relatively clear water space of the settling-bed, of an arm movable outboard from the side of the vehicle, and a hydraulic ejector elevator comprising pressure and discharge lines with an ejector attheir lower ends, saidpressure line having flexible connection with the outlet of the pump and the discharge line comprisingtelescopic piping connected with the movable arm.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vehicle having a settling-bed body, and a force pump carried by the vehicle and having connec-' tion between its inlet and the relatively clear water space of the settling-bed, of a ing a hose connected with the outlet of said i vehicle, and a hydraulic elevator comprising pump and the discharge'line being composed of telescopic piping connected with said movable arm.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a vehicle, a horizontal settling-bed tank thereon, and a pump carried by the vehicle and having connection between its inlet and the relatively clear water space, of the tank, of guides upon theupper forward part of said tank, a cross-arm slidable therein so as to project variable distances at the side, and a raisable and lowerable hydraulic ejector elevator comprising apressure line connected with the outlet of the pump, a discharge line, and an ejector connected to the lower ends of said lines, the discharge line belng connected with said arm.

5. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, and in combination with a vehicle having a settling bed body, and a pump having an inlet connection from the relatively clear water space of the body, an arm movable outward and inward at one side of the telescopic and flexible pressure and discharge lines and an ejector at the lower ends thereof, the pressure line connecting with the outlet of the pump and the discharge line mounted with said arm to deliver into thebody.

6. 'In an apparatus of the character described, and in combination with a vehicle having a settling bed body, and a pump having an inlet connection from the rela tively clear water space of the body, a'hydraulic elevator comprising pressure and discharge lines and an ejector at the lower ends thereof, the pressure line connecting with the outlet of the pump, and a pivot arm movable inward and outward at one side of the vehicle and carrying the elevator.

7. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination with a vehicle, and a tiltable settling" bed tank body thereon having an outlet, of a hydraulic ejectorelevator'the intake of which is adapted to be lowered into catch-basins, a pump on the vehicle for forcing water through the jet nozzle of said elevator, and a separable connection between-the tank outlet and the intake of the pump adapted to be interrupted 'in fixed location so that the tank outlet will automatically make and break joint therewitllll, and means for rendering the joint tlg t.

9. An apparatus of the character described comprising a vehicle having a tiltable settling bedtank body, ahydraulic ejectorelevator the intake of which is adapted .to be lowered into catch-basins, a pump for forcing, water throughthe jet nozzle of said elevator, a vertically spring yielding pump intake membermounted in fixed location on the vehicle frame, and an outlet on the tank constructed to make and break tight joint with said member automatically when the tank body is raised and lowered.

10. An apparatus of the character described comprising va vehicle having a tiltable settling bed tank body, a hydraulic ejector elevator adapted to be lowered into catchbasins, a pump connected to draw water from the settling bed and to force the same through the jet nozzle of said elevator, an overflow spout projecting from the upper portion of the settling bed, and a fixed overfiow member on the vehicle adapted to receive said spout when the settling bed is in its normal position.

g 11. An apparatus of the character described comprising a vehicle having a tiltable s'ettling bed tank body, a hydraulic ejector elevator adapted to remove the contents of catch-basins, a pump connected to draw water from the settling bed and to force thesame through the jet nozzle of said elevator, an overflow spout projecting from the upper portion of the settling bed, a fixed overflow member on the vehicle adapted to receive said spout when the settling bedis in its normal position, and a swiveled discharge spout on the lower end of said fixed member.

12. A traveling apparatus of the character described, having, in combination, a settling bed body tiltable for dumping, a pump, a hydraulic ejector elevator connected with the outlet of the pump and having means for lowering and raising into and out of catch-basins to elevate and discharge the contents thereof by the action of a jet, and self making and breaking coupling members connected with the tiltable body and pump respectively for automatically disconnecting and reconnecting the pump and elevator with the tilting body.

13. Atraveling apparatus of the character described, having, in combination, a settling bed body tiltable for dumping, a pump, a hydraulic ejector elevator connected with the outlet of thepump and having means for lowering and raising into and out of catch-basins to elevate and discharge the contents thereof by the action of a jet, and means for automatically connecting and disconnecting the tiltable body with the pump comprising a downwardly directed outlet on the forward part of the body, and a relatively stationary pump intake beneath and disunited with the outlet; with a seal completed by lowering the body to normal position.

14. Apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a vehicle, a tiltable settling bed body thereon, a hydraulic ejector elevator, a pump for withdrawing water from the body and forcing it through the jet nozzle of the elevator, an outlet from the bed, a relatively stationary pump intake from which said outlet is separable on tilting of the bed, and a valve commanding 25 said outlet.

,. GEO. W. oTTERsoN. 

